PRESS RELEASE
Travelling is too costly for the holidays – in “Piazza San Pietro”, Pope Francis answers a mother: “Let us help young people and families with concrete provisions”
“It would be good if the major companies could provide family reunion bonuses, at least for the Christmas and Easter holidays. It would be an act of humanity and fraternity, to which the world of economy and business is also called”, writes the Holy Father
VATICAN, 15 APRIL – “It would be good if the major companies could provide family reunion bonuses, at least for the Christmas and Easter holidays. It would be an act of humanity and fraternity, to which the world of economy and business is also called” writes Pope Francis in the pages of “Piazza San Pietro”, the monthly edited by Father Enzo Fortunato, exploring topics regarding current events, spirituality and culture, responding – as every month – to one of the letters addressed to him. It is from a Sicilian mother of two children who work outside the region, who feels that the increase in the prices of flights and rail travel in holiday periods is unjust. This phenomenon does not always make it possible for families to reunite during the holidays.
“In this changing era, many young people, many children have found jobs far from their parents and cannot spend even the Christmas and Easter holidays with them. Sometimes distance also loosens relationships, creates misunderstandings and difficulties”, writes the Pontiff, who urges young people and parents to stay together, convinced that “those holidays and days spent with parents and grandparents can be moments of unique happiness. They become memories that give us serenity and joy for a lifetime, memories to which we can cling in the most complicated and difficult moments, memories that generate trust and hope because they show us that goodness and love are always possible and that there is a greater Love that waits for us and forgives us”.
The pages of the April issue of Piazza San Pietro, entitled “Easter, between suffering and hope”, include an extensive report on Carlo Acutis, the saint of our time who will be canonized this coming 27 April.
Accompanied by an interview with his mother, Antonia Salzano, who saw in her son a soul destined for Heaven, by Vatican expert Paolo Rodari. In the extensive report by Vatican expert Gianni Cardinale, there is also an in-depth analysis of the coinciding Jubilee of Teenagers. And then the memory of John Paul II, “the Pope who changed history”, on the 20th anniversary of his death on 2 April 2005, by Vatican expert Piero Schiavazzi.
Piazza San Pietro hosts a focus on Holy Easter, the Easter of peace (Piero Damosso) and of the Church that suffers in the midst of war and despair in the world. Cardinal Mauro Gambetti entitles his editorial “The Resurrection of Jesus. Experience of hope, rebirth and fulfilment of love”.
To subscribe to Piazza San Pietro, write to abbonamenti@piazzasanpietro.va
For those unable to afford the cost, subscription is free of charge.
LETTER TO POPE FRANCIS
Dear Francis, flights are too expensive – how can we help families with children living far away?
Dear Pope Francis,
I write to you from Palermo. I have been married to my beloved Francesco for 42 years. We have two wonderful children who, for work reasons, live outside Sicily.
I merely make an observation of a phenomenon that I consider extremely unfair towards families like ours. During holiday periods, the cost of flights and other means of transport becomes incredibly high for those who live on a pension. And reuniting with family members is sometimes a problem.
Even for children who want to return to their parents' home for a while, the cost of flights is extremely expensive. Sometimes one gives up being together.
But couldn’t this be taken into account, and preferential fares established in advance for those whose parents are far away?
Everything is complicated now, everything really! Young people go to work elsewhere, and fortunately they manage to do so.... But at least at Christmas and Easter, a little more help should be given to families who want to finally be together for a few days, without making them spend an absurd amount of money on travel.
Solidarity is also expressed through these small concessions.
Heartfelt good wishes for the journal, and good work to you all.
Santa
FRANCIS REPLIES
Let us help young people and families with concrete provisions so that they can share the joy of Easter
Dear Santa,
I am aware and have said several times that families should be helped to stay together, to enjoy each other’s company, to accompany each other in the journey of life, to converse and seek the Lord’s will together. In this age of change, many young people, many sons and daughters have found work far from their parents and cannot even spend the Christmas and Easter holidays with them. At times distance weakens relationships, creating misunderstandings and difficulties.
It would be good if the major companies could provide a bonus for family reunion, at least for the Christmas and Easter holidays. It would be good if the major companies could provide family reunion bonuses, at least for the Christmas and Easter holidays. It would be an act of humanity and fraternity, to which the world of economy and business is also called.
I recall an effective expression of Saint John Paul II: work is for man, not man for work. We always think of Our Lady when she said to Jesus at Cana: “They have no more wine”, referring to the wedding feast of two young newlyweds. So let us help young people and families to be together, at least during the festivities, to share, helping to create the conditions for meeting, loving and caring for each other.
Those holidays and days spent with parents and grandparents can be moments of unique happiness. They become memories that give us lifelong serenity and joy, memories that we can cling to in the most complicated and difficult moments, memories that generate trust and hope because they show us that goodness and love are always possible and that there is a greater Love waiting for us and forgiving us.
The experience of God’s love is a grace that can be lived in the family, and which no artificial intelligence can reproduce. Therefore, in the Encyclical Dilexit nos, which I wished to dedicate to the human and divine love of the heart of Jesus, I emphasized what no algorithm can ever reproduce. For example, “when we recall how we first used a fork to seal the edges of the pies that we helped our mothers or grandmothers to make at home”, or “a smile we elicited by telling a joke”. All this can be lived in the family. Let us help young people and parents, when they want to stay together!
At the same time, let us also look for other ways when we are apart, using technology. We can use video calls, in which we can even pray together at a distance, discuss the Word of God, and grow in communion.
It cannot be the rule, but in some cases, we can resort to these new tools, for example through the use of a family chat, in which each day we can offer to share or meditate on a phrase from the Gospel, to support each other, even at a distance, on our journey of faith.
I will remember you in prayer, and do not forget to pray for me.
